Expansible-contractable mandrels



' March 8, 1966 l J. M. cowLEs 3,239,160

EXPANSIBLE-CONTRACTABLE MANDRELS Filed April 14, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1March 8, 1966 J, M. com/LES 3,239,160

EXPANSIBLE-CONTRACTABLE MANDRELS Filed Apl 14, 1964 5 Sheets-'Sheet 2 A7` TURA/E75 March 8, 1966 J. M. cowLEs EXPANSIBLE-CONTRACTABLE MANDRELS3 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed April 14, 1964 INVENTOR. dum@ MowLes United States atent nl ce3,239,160 EXPANSIBLE-CONTRACTABLE MANDRELS .Iuiia M. Cowles, 8350Fairhill Drive NE., Warren, Ohio Filed Apr. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 359,67315 Claims. (Cl. 242-721) The present invention relates toexpansible-contractable mandrels and the principal object of theinvention is to provide new and improved apparatus of such character.

In many arts, particularly the electrical arts, it is necessary to windwire or other tenuous material on a tubular member. For this purpose,the tubular member aforesaid is positioned over a contracted mandrelwhich is then expanded to gripping engagement with the interior f thetubular member. With the member securely mounted on the mandrel, suchmember may readily be supported in the desired position for winding, andthereafter rotated and/ or oscillated as required by winding exigences.After the winding operation is completed, the tubular member will beremoved from the mandrel after first contracting the latter.

Prior art expansible-contractable mandrels have not been entirelysatisfactory since most have a relatively narrow range of sizeadjustment. In those constructions which have more than limitedadjustment, the design has been such that the mandrel is rather flimsyand not at all suited for heavy-duty use.

The present invention provides a simple, trouble-free,expansible-contractable mandrel of great rigidity and sturdiness forheavy-duty use and having a far wider range of size adjustment thanmandrels heretofore known. These and other advantages will readilybecome apparent from a study of the following description and from theappended drawings.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part ofthis application there is shown, for purpose of illustration, anembodiment which the invention may assume, and in these drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of an expansiblecontractable mandrelconstructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view of the device seenin FIGURE l,

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational View generally corresponding to the lines3-3 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view generally corresponding to theline 4 4 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, exploded perspcctive view ofcertain details seen in FIGURES 2 and 4.

With reference to FIGURES l, 2, and 4, the present mandrel comprises ashaft or spindle which is adapted to be rotatably supported in anysuitable manner. By way of illustration, the left end of the spindle, asviewed in FIGURES l and 2, may be journaled in a support (not shown) ina conventional way, The right end of spindle 10 (FIGURE 2) is providedwith an axially extending central bore 11 for receiving an actuating rod12 whose purpose will later appear. Intersecting the bore 11 is atransversely extending, axially elongated slot 13 which closely butslidably receives a flat key 14 which passes through the actuating rod12 and is suitably anchored therein.

Slidably carried by the spindle 10 is a sleeve 15 having teeth at eachend formed on its outer periphery to provide gear-like portions 15.1,15.2 which will later be described with greater particularlity.Intermediate the gear-like portions 15.1, 15.2, the sleeve 15 is slottedat 16 to closely receive the key 14, the latter being of sufficientlength to extend from one side of the sleeve to the other. With theconstruction thus far described, it will be understood that since thekey 14 connects the sleeve and the rod 12 together, axial movement ofthe latter will effect correspondagiata@ Patented Mar. 8, 1966 ing axialmovement of the sleeve. Moreover, since the key 14 is closely receivedwithin the slot 13 of the spindle 10, the key prevents relative rotationbetween the sleeve and the spindle.

With particular reference to FIG'URE 2, end plates 17, 18 are keyed torespective, reduced diameter end portions of spindle 10. Extendingbetween and rotatably carried by plates 17, 1S are a plurality of shafts19 herein shown to be six in number as best illustrated in FIGURES 3 and4. Shafts 19 are spaced an equal amount radially outA wardly of thespindle axis and are evenly spaced circumferentially thereabout.

As best in FIGURES 2 and 4, the intermediate portion of each shaft 19has a collar 20 keyed thereto for unitary rotation therewith and eachcollar has a radial enlargement 21 fora purpose to appear. Disposed ateach end of respective collars 20 but spaced axially therefrom aresupplemental collars 20.1, 20.2 which are identical in cross-section tocollars 20. Supplemental collars 20.1, 20.2 which are identical incross-section to collars 20. Supplemental collars 20.1, 20.2 are inalignment with respective collars 20 and are likewise keyed torespective shafts 19.

Still referring to FIGURE 4, a leaf member 22 is welded or otherwisesecured to the radial enlargement 21 of respective collars 20 and theirsupplemental collars 20.1, 20.2. Each leaf member 22 is of a length toextend between the end plates 17, 18 and each has a rectilinear portion22.1 secured to respective collars and supplemental collars, and anarcuate portion 22.2 which partially encircles the spindle. At thepresent time, each leaf member 22 extends approximately 180 degreesabout the spindle, the leaves being interlaced with each other, asindicated, in the contracted position of the mandrel.

Means are provided for connecting the leaves 22 together for unitarymovement and as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, each shaft 19 carriesgears 23, 24 intermediate the collars 20 and the supplemental collars20.1, 20.2. Gears 23, 24 are pinned or otherwise alixed to respectiveshafts for unitary rotation therewith and such gears are engaged withrespective gear-like portions 15.1, 15.2 of the sleeve 15.

Turning now to FIGURE 5, it will be noted that the gear-like portion15.2 of sleeve 15 and the gear 24 are provided with cooperable, spirallyarranged teeth. Although not shown, gear-like, sleeve portion 15.1 andgear 23 are identical with portion 15.2 and gear 24, respectively. Nowbearing in mind that sleeve 15 is held against rotation relative to thespindle 10 by means of the key 14, it will be understood that the shafts19 and the attached leaves 22 will be held against rotation about theshaft axes 19, so long as the sleeve is not moved axially of thespindle, since the gears 23, 24 are intermeshed with the gearlike sleeveportions. If however, sleeve 15 is moved axially of the spindle 10 tothe right as viewed in FIG- URES 2 and 5, by means to be described, eachof the gears 23, 24 will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction asviewed in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. Rotation of the gears in suchcounter-clockwise direction will cause movement of the leaves 22 fromthe contracted positions seen in FIGURES 4 and in full lines in FIGURE3, toward the fully expanded positions seen in phantom lines in FIG- URE3. Axial movement of sleeve 15 in the opposite direction, of course,will return the leaves to their fully contracted positions once again.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the gear-like sleeveportions 15.1, 15.2 thus function like a ca m to translate axial sleevemovement to rotational movement of the gears 23, 24 engaged therewith.In order to prevent unintentional axial movement of the sleeve 15, thehelix angle of the sleeve teeth and that of the teeth of gears 23, 24will be chosen for irreversability of driving forces. That is, whileaxial movement of the sleeve rotates the gears, an attempted rotation ofthe gears will not exert sufficient axial force on the sleeve to effectaxial movement thereof.

As previously mentioned, key 14 is carried by a rod 12 within thespindle (FIGURE 2) and such rod presently extends beyond the right endof the spindle and is externally screw-threaded. A nut member 25 isthreaded on rod 12, a thrust bearing 26 being interposed between the nutmember and the adjoiningy spindle end. Nut member 25 carries ahand-wheel 27 for effecting rotation thereof and a retainer 28 isattached to the plate 18 and fits within an annular groove formed in theperiphery of the nut member to prevent axial movement of the latter tothe right without interfering with rotational movement thereof.

Clearly, rotation of the nut member 25 by the handwheel 27 will effectaxial movement of the rod 12 relative to the spindle 10 andcorrespondingly axial movement of the sleeve 15. As previouslydescribed, axial movement of the sleeve will, through the gears 23, 24,effect rotation of the leaves 22 about the axes of their shafts 19.

In use and with the mandrel collapsed as shown in FIGURES l, 2, 3, (fulllines) and 4, a tubular member S, such as shown in phantom in FIGURE 3,will be positioned over the mandrel. Hand-wheel 27 will then be rotatedto shift the leaves 22 radially outwardly from the full-line positionsseen in FIGURE 3 to the phantomline positions wherein such leaves gripthe interior of the tubular member S. A tenuous member (not shown) maynow be wound upon the tubular member S, the mandrel rotating as requiredin unison with the member S.

When sufficient material has been wound, it is only necessary to rotatethe hand-wheel 27 in a direction to shift the leaves 22 radiallyinwardly toward their contracted positions thus freeing the tubularmember S. Such member, with the tenuous material wound thereon, may thenbe removed from the mandrel and the operation again repeated withanother empty tubular member.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the shape ofthe leaves are such that a curved surface is presented for engagementwith the interior of the tubular member. Thus, maximum frictionalengagement is provided between the mandrel and the member to reduce thepossibility of slippage therebetween during the winding operation. Also,and although not shown, the mandrel can be expanded to grip tubularmembers of any internal size between the maximum size tubular memberillustrated and one just barely large enough to slip over the collapsedmandrel. Finally, although a mandrel having six leaves 22 has hereinbeen disclosed, a greater or lesser number of leaves could be employedwhen desired.

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat I have accomplished at least the principal object of my inventionand it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that theembodiment herein described may be variously changed and modified,without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that theinvention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specificallydescribed; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosedembodiment is illustrative only, and that rnyinvention is not limitedthereto.

I claim:

1. An expansible-contractable mandrel comprising a spindle, a pluralityof pivot shafts carried by said spindle and spaced radially outwardlythereof and circumferentially thereabout with their axes generallyparallel to the axis of said spindle, leaf members pivotable about theaxe-s of respective pivot shafts for movement radially inwardly andradially outwardly of said spindle to provide for contraction andexpansion of said mandrel re- 4. spectively, gear means carried by andpivotable with respective leaf members, and means carried by saidspindle for lmovement relative thereto and having driving engagementwith said gear means to effect pivotal movement of the latter andconsequent pivotal movement aforesaid of said leaf members.

2. The construction of claim 1 wherein said means lastmentioned islimited to movement axially of said spindle.

3. The construction of claim 2 wherein the axially movable means isprovided with spirally arranged teeth engaged with said gear means.

4. The construction of claim 2 wherein means is provided for shiftingthe axially movable means to various position-s relative to -saidspindle.

5. An expansible-contractable mandrel comprising a spindle, a pluralityof pivot shafts rotatably carried by said spindle and spaced radiallyoutwardly thereof and circumferentally thereabout with their axesgenerally parallel to the axis of said spindle, leaf members carried byand pivotable with respective pivot shafts for movement radiallyinwardly and radially outwardly of said spindle to provide forcontraction and expansion of said mandrel respectively, and meanscarried by said spindle for movement relative thereto and interconnectedwith respective pivot shafts to effect pivotal movement of the latterand consequent movement aforesaid of respecy tive leaf members carriedthereby.

6. The construction of claim 5 wherein gear means are carried by androtatable with respective pivot shafts and wherein said means movablerelative to said spindle has driving engagement with said gear means foreffecting movement aforesaid of respective leaf members.

7. The construction of claim 6 wherein said means movable axially ofsaid spindle is limited to movement axially thereof and wherein suchmeans has spirally arranged teeth engaged with said gear means.

8. An expansible-contractable -mandrel comprising a spindle in partproviding a plurality of pivot axes which are spaced radially outwardlyof said spindle and circumferentially thereabout and which extendgenerally parallel to the axis of said spindle, a plurality of memberseach projecting transversely of a respective pivot axis and each beingswingable thereabout to effect movement of such members radiallyinwardly and radially outwardly of the axis of said spindle to providefor contraction and expansion of said mandrel respectively, and meansfor effecting simultaneous movement of said members in the samedirection of rotation about respective pivot axes.

9. An expansible-contractable mandrel comprising a spindle in partproviding a plurality of pivot axes which are spaced radially outwardlyof said spindle and circumferentially thereabout and which extendgenerally parallel to the axis of said spindle, a plurality of memberseach projecting transversely of a respective pivot axis and each beingswingable thereabout to effect movement of such members radiallyinwardly and radially outwardly of the axis of said spindle to providefor contraction and expansion of said mandrel respectively, and meansconnecting said members together and effecting simultaneous movementthereof in the same direction of rotation about respective pivot axes.

10. An expansible-contractable mandrel comprising a spindle in partproviding a plurality of pivot axes which are spaced radially outwardlyof said spindle and circumferentially thereabout and which extendgenerally parallel to the axis of said spindle, a plurality of memberseach projecting transversely of a respective pivot axis and each beingswingable thereabout to effect movement of such members radiallyinwardly and radially outwardly of the axis of said spindle to providefor contraction and expansion of said mandrel respectively, in collapsedposition of said members the latter extending from respective pivot axesin the same direction circumferentially of said spindle.

11. The construction of claim 10 wherein said members are arcuate topartially encircle said spindle in the position aforesaid.

12. The construction of claim 11 and further comprising means connectingsaid members together and effecting simultaneous movement thereof in thesame direction of rotation about respective pivot axes.

13. An expansible-contractable mandrel comprising a spindle, a pluralityof pivot shafts rotatably carried by said spindle and spaced radiallyoutwardly thereof and circumferentially thereabout with their axesgenerally parallel to the axis of said spindle, a plurality of arcuateleaf members carried by and projecting transversely of respective pivotshafts and said leaf members being pivotable with respective pivotshafts for movement radially inwardly and radially outwardly of saidspindle to provide for contraction and expansion of said mandrelrespectively, in collapsed position of said leaf members the latterpartially encircling said spindle and extending from respective pivotshafts in the same direction circumferentially of said spindle, gearmeans carried by and rotatable with respective pivot shafts, and meanscarried by said spindle for movement axially thereof and having drivingengagement with said gear means to effect simultaneous rotation thereofand consequent simulianeous rotation of said pivot shafts in the samedirection to thus cause leaf member movement aforesaid.

14. The construction of claim 13 wherein said means movable axially ofsaid spindle comprises a sleeve, wherein said sleeve has spirallyarranged teeth engaged with said gear means, and wherein said sleeve islimited to moveent relative to said spindle solely axially thereof.

The construction of claim 1.4 wherein a rod is disposed within anaxially extending recess in said spindle, wherein transversely extendingmeans connects said rod and said sleeve together for unitary axialmovement, wherein said transversely extending means cooperates withdefining walls of a slot formed in said spindle to limit said sleeve tomovement relative to said spindle in a direction solely axially of thelatter, and wherein means is engaged with said rod to effect axialmovement thereof and consequent axial movement of said sleeve.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 17,379 5/1857Knauer 242-11().1 576,677 2/1897 Kenworthy 242-721 1,428,119 9/1922Rogers 242-110.1 1,945,621 2/1934 Shaw 242-721 2,638,283 5/1953 Bebech242-72 3,010,728 11/1961 iennings 242-72 X MERY/1N STEIN, PrimaryExaminer.

N. L. MINTZ, Assistant Examiner.

5. AN EXPANSIBLE-CONTRACTABLE MANDREL COMPRISING A SPINDLE, A PLURALITYOF PIVOT SHAFTS ROTATABLY CARRIED BY SAID SPINDLE AND SPACED RADIALLYOUTWARDLY THEREOF AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY THEREABOUT WITH THEIR AXESGENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID SPINDLE, LEAF MEMBERS CARRIED BYAND PIVOTABLE WITH RESPECTIVE PIVOT SHAFTS FOR MOVEMENT RADIALLYINWARDLY AND RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID SPINDLE TO PROVIDE FORCONTRACTION AND EXPANSION OF SAID MANDREL RESPECTIVELY, AND MEANSCARRIED BY SAID